


Art Is A Way Of Life

by preshfinn



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe, Developing Friendships, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, art career au, art is hard lol, slice of life (maybe), theres like no evil in this au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-01-30 14:59:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12655830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/preshfinn/pseuds/preshfinn
Summary: Jay Walker is a freshly graduated photographer who is seeking some excitement in his life. Bored by the same routine every single day, he was given the option to do something spectacular, and eventually he meets several people who will change his life for the better.





	1. It's A Humdrum Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So this is the first chapter of my art career au plot which will explain how Jay will meet up with the others. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> This is also dedicated to Snowy who was the main motivation for this entire thing, ily!!

  It was nearing dawn, and everything was still. There was no disturbance of peace that breaks the serene silence of the atmosphere. At that moment, the world was alright, nothing happened and nothing usually happens. But even with the everlasting peace, things got really mundane enough that it became repetitive for some people, and one of those people was a freshly graduated photographer.

 

* * *

 

The morning dust gingerly settled onto the auburn-haired photographer which lead to him outright sat up and sneezed away the itchiness that had befallen onto his nose. Jay snorted in frustration, he had a good sleep and the sun has yet to rise. If only he could continue his slumber, but alas once he was awake, there was no going back.

  Already disappointed for the day, he grudgingly got out of bed and slid on his rose-tinted bedroom slippers. Jay dragged himself to the washroom and stared tiredly at his reflection in the mirror.

  “Well, another day, another chance for an interesting client,” he picked up his toothbrush. “Maybe this time I get to venture out of the country for once. Though actually, anything’s better than the prior.”

  Once he was all freshen up, he stood back into his room and gazed at his surroundings. He sighed, “Something has to be more than this.”

 

* * *

 

The photographer hummed sweetly to himself while he strolled down the street, wishing passersby well and returning the favour to those who initiated the same with him. Once in a while he would stop abruptly in the middle just to snap an image that caught his eye. It was always the usual pigeons, people, scene and sky. Things were pretty much constant and stale.

  The bustling street downtown did aid a bit in spicing up Jay’s tiring routine, but oh how he wished he was somewhere else doing some other thing that wasn’t photographing the same usual environment every day.

  Jay once had a friend who told him that every day was a new surprise, even if it was in the same place or time. He believed in that for a while, as his optimistic side would latch onto anything that would make him feel content with the world. Although that feeling gradually faded, bit by bit until all Jay had to look forward to everyday was just being able to receive new clients to work with.

 

* * *

 

  It was nightfall when Jay had finally made the decision to return back to his flat after the long day that seemed somewhat endless to him. He was walking down a familiar road when he sniffed in a luring aroma of coffee that instantly made him did a U-turn back to a café down a few blocks. Jay was a victim to coffee, he had to at least have a cup daily if not his mood would just turn sour on the spot. He even tried to urge himself once not to continue this unhealthy practice but that did not end well as always.

  He backtracked all the way to the café and headed straight in. It was rather quiet as the place was only occupied by a handful of people who were mostly browsing the web on their laptops in silence.

  Jay signaled to the cashier as he went to his favourite seat. “Hey, Lav! The usual, please?”

  “Really, Jay? At this time of the night?” she raised her brows at him. “Do you have another client who is after your hide again because of what? You put off everything till the last minute?”

  Jay scoffed. “Hey! No need to be judgy here, I just haven’t had my morning coffee yet.”

  “Have you ever tried to look at the sky once in a while? Tell me, how does that look like morning.” Lavender leaned against the counter.

  “I just need a cup of coffee okay? I’ll tip if you stop criticizing me.” Jay raised his hands in defeat while Lavender snorted in response.

  “Fine, I’ll get you your coffee, be right back.” She said before heading inside the kitchen.

  Jay drummed lightly on the table, in sync with the beat of a tune he hummed from the back of his head. He was looking around the café when his eyes landed upon the noticeboard.

  The noticeboard of the café was filled with compilation of flyers that advertised in-store offers, others promoting their business, event invitations and miscellaneous papers that held no meaning than to just hold up space on the board. Each flyer was in various colours and sizes that looked bursting in chaos. To Jay, it seemed somewhat calming to him every time he came here. It was as if the messiness of the noticeboard comforted him that even in such a humdrum life, something spontaneous will happen and it will eventually happen in such a remarkable way that will leave people wanting more.

  “Hey, nerd! Your coffee’s done, come pick it up, eh?” Lavender reappeared back to the counter and held the coffee in her hand.

  Jay rushed towards the counter and hastily grabbed the cup alongside a few pieces of napkins and packets of creamer and sugar. “Oh, thank you! You’re the best Lav. Anyway, here’s the tip I promised.”

  He searched his pocket for his funds before handing them over to Lavender. “You’re welcome and thanks, it’s rare for customers to tip nowadays, stinginess runs the kingdom I guess.”

  “You haven’t met the right people I suppose, I mean I usually get tipped from my clients. But just for your concern, I usually tip so you can always look forward for mine.” Jay winked.

  Lavender rolled her eyes. “Sure, whatever you say loser.”

  Jay proceeded to the noticeboard while ignoring Lavender’s last comment about him. He scanned the board for interesting flyers that might help him seek out potential clients or just anything that can pique his interest and entertain him. He singled out a flyer in crimson red, and he brushed away the other papers that concealed the one he wanted. He plucked out the flyer and held it in his hand.

  The flyer was professionally designed and it was quite interesting to look at, unlike the other flyers which are mostly boring and uninspiring, barely decorated with just the message bare looking, so much for straightforward. Regardless, the flyer read, ‘THE THIEF OF MY EYE, starring THE WONDROUS DRAGONS’. Apparently the flyer was to advertise a theatrical show, and below that stated the time of the shows that were premiering which one of them was _today_.

  Jay cried out to Lavender. “Hey, Lav? Do you know anything about the Wondrous Dragons?”

  “Oh, you mean that group? Yeah I’ve seen them. Their theatre is just right around the corner. They consist of a duo, siblings I think. They act pretty well, if you’re interested in watching I think you should, worth every penny you spend on them.” Lavender replied.

  “They have a show in about ten minutes, should I go or..?”

  “Yes, and you should go now!” Lavender personally went out of the counter and shoved Jay to the door. “Leave now and I think you might actually make it, just turn left around the corner, it’ll be down that lane.”

  “Alright, alright! I’ll go,” Jay huffed. “Thanks by the way.”

  “Thank me later once you’re done watching, now go!”

  And with that, he dashed down the street.

 

* * *

 

Jay panted as he sprinted across the eerie street, paying no mind to the noises that creeped up behind him. If he wasn’t in a hurry at the moment, he would absolutely be terrified to stroll at such a time. Every shadow seemed like a monster, every sound seemed like a whimper, and every unidentified figure to Jay screamed _‘This is it! I’m gonna get eaten by ghosts!’_.

  Right at the front of the ticket counter, Jay skidded to a stop before slamming his hand down onto the counter’s desk. “Am I too late for tonight’s show? Please tell me I’m not.” Jay heaved heavily.

  “No, sir. There’s a few minutes left. Though the remaining seats are all odd ones, I don’t think you’d fancy any of them.” The employee, obviously tired from managing the counter for the entire day, looked dead into Jay’s eyes as he spoke.

  Smirking, Jay lifted his wallet in front of the employee. “Heh, try me. Besides, I owe this show for a friend.”

  The employee sighed and made the transaction.

 

* * *

 

Jay stepped inside of the theatre and gasped. He had not been in an actual theatre before, but only seen them in pictures online. The theatre was humongous, the ceiling seemed infinitely wide and the walls were splashed with glittering gold, plus the chilly temperature made the final touch of topping the entire room’s captivating aesthetic. The entire place radiated a sensation of melancholy but also excitement and suspense, which Jay guessed was the magic of theatre.

  He took his seat by the stairs. As already warned by the employee outside, it was technically a pretty odd seat, but regardless Jay felt content in it as he could see the stage well enough from his angle.

  Just a few moments later, the lights started to dim and everything went silent. The stage upfront begun to withdraw its curtains, revealing the set on stage. It was a city street during nightfall, with garbage cans and old apartment flats accompanying several Victorian-esque street lamps. The backdrop contained of silhouettes of other buildings with stars that hung loose in the sky, dangling and twinkling as if they were laughing and guarding the street below.

  Jay was evidently starstruck.

 

* * *

 

“Foul thief! Come back here at once with the stolen goods!” the policeman cried.

  “Me? Surrendering to you? Hah! Have your wits match mine and I’ll consider this suggestion of yours, but for now, ta-ta!” the thief snickered and ran off the stage.

  Jay watching in awe muttered a soft “Wow” under his breath. Was it the lights that he admired? Or was it the beauty of the set? Maybe it was the story he loved? Well, it was all of them actually, but the one that stood most significant to Jay was the acting itself performed by both the policeman and the thief, oh especially the thief.

  The way the thief moved was organic and daring in a way, she ran up and hopped across the stage multiple times due to the fact the play had her being chased a few rounds. Regardless, it was breathtaking to watch from afar, because her character was free in her world, and chaotic as it seemed, it was wonderful, it was also what Jay had always dreamed of. To live a life where every day was a new beginning of something fresh in stored, with the thrill of excitement every now and then.

  While Jay was watching the thief go on and about, he was reminded of the tranquil waves that stretched the beach floor, flowing and swirling as the current whistled the direction, and the calming sound of the tide brushing against the rocks that lived by the sea.

  “This is my moment, this is my glory! I will never cease to fade away from this day!” The thief sang passionately in her spotlight till the lights disappeared, and all was dark.

 

* * *

 

  It was a few weeks later since Jay had last seen the show he attended to. That specific play had closed and now the cast and crew were preparing for a new show, which rumours speculated that it will be related to civil wars.

  Jay was mindlessly strolling down the same lane he had probably memorized by now when he heard an unfamiliar voice ahead. Even though it was unfamiliar, he did recognize the voice, it’s the voice of a seagull’s cry. He did not know why a seagull would reside so close to foreign land but Jay decided to follow it.

  He hustled down the street, making tight twists and turns, careful enough to not lose the seagull’s voice. Eventually, he made it to a junction where he turned right, which was a narrow and gloomy road in contrast to the opposite left road that was bursting with people, the usual road Jay takes to head into the nearby market.

  Jay felt incredibly uncomfortable when he had to go through the dark lane, but light finally revealed itself and he ended up by the shores of the sea. Jay had completely forgotten about this place as he had only seen it a few times when he first moved in to his flat.

  It was magnificent. The ocean waves were generic and unpredictable enough for Jay to feel free here, a feeling he had never felt in a very long time in fact. He often longed for this place in his dreams, though he usually had forgotten it by the time he woke up. Nevertheless, he was at bliss here and he never wanted to leave.

  The photographer stepped forward onto the sandy surface and walked straight to one of the rocks that were located at the side of a pier. He sat on it and folded his legs up. Jay breathed in the breezy ocean morning air and sighed, with his hair wildly flowing in several directions as the gust of wind was intense.

  Casually, Jay lifted up his camera and caught an image of the overview of the sea. He stared at the picture for a while, wondering what to do with it and subsequently got an idea. He rummaged his bag for his instant camera which he had gotten for his birthday by his friends who did not know he was not very fond of them (For several reasons actually, but it was mostly Jay just being nitpicky).

  Jay had finally found it and hoisted his camera in the air, taking a few different shots of the ocean from various angles. He looked back at them when he was done, and was notably quite content with the results. “Huh, the quality of this camera isn’t too bad,” he said while being pleasantly surprised.

  The camera then printed out the several pictures the photographer took; one by one Jay placed them inside his bag right before he kept the cameras as well.

  Jay stood up and proceeded to head back to the street, with a face of urgency. He went back inside the narrow and dark lane again to come back out to the same junction as before. This time, he went south and took a few more turns to gradually end up in front of a post office. He pushed open the front door.

  “Well, to live is to die.” He stepped in.


	2. Dear Brother, Your Sister

  After an exhausting week of performance, the Wondrous Dragons finally reached to the end of the sixth day, which was the final working day before a day off. Everyone who was part of the crew began to pack up and left the building, leaving the two siblings the only ones remaining to do their last checkup of the day.

  “Lights off, sis. It’s your turn tonight.” Kai mumbled across the room whilst stuffing his spare and unworn clothes into his backpack.

  “Sure, bro. Just give me a few minutes to check the mailbox first,” Nya replied. “I haven’t had the opportunity to do it the entire day.”

  The brother waved in response and exited the dressing room, making his way down to the front stage to tidy up a few things. And soon Nya did as she said; she left the room as well and took a sharp right down the hallway and into the mailroom.

  The mailroom technically did not exist at first, it was installed a year after they started the theatre business as they were slowly gaining a huge amount of following, which lead to dozens of fan mail that constantly clogged their former mailbox. And since the duo never had such appreciation towards their work before, they always make an effort to try reading all of them, and even enjoying some parcels they received from their beloved fans.

  Parcels were the ones that Nya was particularly fond of the most, because she knew that if people were willing to take time out from their lives to create something for them, it was technically special. Her brother preferred packages as well since he often received food which he loved munching on during breaks.

  So her heart was full of glee when she spotted a brown, mini package in the midst of the current week’s mail. She immediately snatched it up and stuffed it in her bag, right before she arranged the rest of the mail that was addressed to either her or her brother.

  Nya was almost done when she heard her brother hollered out from the hallway. “Sis, you done yet? It’s getting really late and we ought to catch the last bus before it leaves.”

  “Almost, give me a minute!” Nya cried back. She hastily grabbed the arranged letters and stacked them together then rushed back to the hall. She greeted her brother and confirmed she was now prepared and ready to leave. Kai took his sister by her hand and together they walked in synchronized steps and out of the building.

 

* * *

 

  The bus trip home was silent, but no words were needed for those two. With one glance they both knew each other was restless and eager to crash on their beds as soon as possible, and yet their eyes shown gratitude as well to yet another successful night of performance.

  Kai stared at out the window, lost in thought; while Nya fiddled with her fingers and hummed old rhymes from her childhood. Both were occupied in their own minds until the bus hit a bump and fell out Kai’s phone.

  This gave the brother an idea, “Hey Nya, you wanna listen to something?” Nya faced towards him. “I know we just had a full day of songs sang and all but maybe now you could make me listen to the tunes you asked me to do so a few days back.” She nodded as Kai took out his earphones and plugged it in.

  So the two listened through as the night slowly faded away with the moon following from behind, particularly reflecting onto the siblings.

 

* * *

 

  Dawn had finally broke during the next day and Kai woke up extra early as it was his duty that day to prepare a scrumptious breakfast for the both of them. Kai was initially bad at cooking, but after many tries and tips from his sister, he eventually got the gist of it and started to improve. And Kai’s food went from inadequate to great, but still considered subpar to Nya’s cooking.

  “Morning, bro.” Nya yawned as she groggily stepped out from her room. “Wha’cha making today?”

  “It’s your favourite. Dim sum with my special technique of roasting and ginger sauce served with tea.” He winked. Thankfully, Kai had mastered this dish by preparing it countless of times, and it was rather simple too.

  His sister snickered at him and said, “Well, you better not burn down the kitchen again like the last time you ‘discovered’ your special technique.” Kai retorted playfully, which earned a laugh from her.

  “Anyway, this is all the stuff we got from the mail during this week,” Nya took her bag and dumped out all the letters messily onto the table. ”I haven’t had the chance to count yet but I think this week we may seem even.”

  “Rubbish, since when did receiving a parcel is considered ‘even’.” Kai snorted while pointing towards the package in Nya’s bag.

  “You’re always bitter when the parcel is not for you, which is unfair since you’re usually the one who receives them.” She rolled her eyes, she heard this exact cry every time when Kai doesn’t get a package among the letters addressed to him.

  Kai turned back towards his cooking and muttered, “Whatever, just open it. I’m curious.”

  “No need to tell me twice,” said Nya.

  She unwrapped the parcel carelessly and tossed the packaging aside. It seemed to her that it was a gift box. It wasn’t entirely too big nor was it too small, it fitted perfectly in her hands and the gift box was a vibrant shade of blue with tinted aqua on the tips.

  Needless to say, she opened the box gently and found a scatter of polaroids in it. Nya held up each of them and gazed at it. Each and every piece was a different shot of the ocean, and sometimes by the bay. All of them looked entirely different and from various places but when taken a second glance, it could be seen it was taken only at a single place. One that stood out the most to her was a shot taken of the ocean surface, where the azure blue water was captured clearly and the light refracted at the precise amount. It was almost like she was in the water herself and she could felt the water at her fingertips. It was astonishing, it was perfect.

  “Kai, come look at this.” She beckoned for her brother. “It’s photographs of the ocean. This has to be the most peculiar gift I’ve received so far.”

  “Does it say who it comes from?” asked Kai.

  “I don’t think so, I’ve looked through all of them and every piece was blank.”

  “Wait, look at this.” He reached for the box and found a piece of note inside, but to his disappointment there was no name. The only thing that was written was _‘For you.’_

  Kai handed the note to his sister and said, “Maybe this person wants to remain as an anonymous fan, I mean we always have shy fans. Though why the photographs that I’m not sure.”

  “Maybe they wanted me to have it? It’s nice though, they all look amazing.” Nya smiled. “I think I’m going to put these on my wall.”

  “Whatever you say, sis.”

 

* * *

 

  A few weeks later since the day they received the photographs, the siblings found themselves worn out again at their house. Even though they love their job, it was definitely draining as seven shows a week takes a lot to muster through. What a price they must pay to live the life of their dreams.

  When they both arrived at their familiar destination, Kai immediately collapsed on the couch and was already snoring by the time Nya locked the door shut. It was a common occurrence, so she always made sure to cover him with a spare blanket as waking him up to move to his own bedroom was practically useless the moment he was out.

  Nya was about to crash on her bed as well when the doorbell rang. “Who would want to visit at such an ungodly hour?” she grunted.

  Grumpily, she swung open the door and was caught by surprise to see their neighbor, Dareth, by the doorway. “Hey! I noticed you dropped this, it fell out of your bag.” He handed her a letter.

  “Oh, Dareth. Uh, thanks for giving this back. Anyway, I hope you have a good night.” Nya grabbed the letter and shut the door forcefully and quickly, earning a shocked Dareth by the sudden actions.

  Nya did not want to seem rude to Dareth, since Kai and her knew him ever since they moved in. It was that Dareth was ridiculously clingy and always caught them in a bad mood, which was because they were tired and needed some alone time after a long day. But whenever they were free to do whatsoever, the both of them went along very well with their neighbour. Although sometimes the siblings may seem blunt to him, Dareth still treated the two as if they were life-long friends and constantly looked out for them.

  Regardless, she made a mental note to thank Dareth properly the next day and probably apologize.

  Though for now, she had to satisfy her curiosity by opening the letter that was in her hands. The letter was rather heavy, so she assumed a fan might have inserted a lot of photos to autograph and expected for it to be sent back. But she was proven wrong as in the letter, she apparently found more polaroids of the ocean again, but from different angles and views. Nya wasn’t entirely sure as it was difficult to see under such low light and she couldn’t focus for being extremely exhausted. So she placed the polaroids back into the letter and left it on the kitchen counter-top and she too went to bed, leaving the mysterious gift to be examined during the upcoming sunrise.

 

* * *

 

  The sun had kindly risen and its rays shone into Nya’s window, lighting up the entire room in a mellow atmosphere of soft orange.  Her brother gingerly knocked on the door, but Nya did not respond so he opened it with the slightest creak as possible. At the sight of Nya he smiled. He loved seeing his younger sister content with her life, for he knew this was probably the best life they could ever have. For years they had been nagged to follow society standards of getting an ordinary office job to maintain their finance, but they never gave up. So after years of dedication, they had landed on a job they had always wished for.

  But to Kai’s dismay, Nya heard his footsteps on the way in which interrupted her slumber, so she had no choice but to wake.

  “Oh, did I wake you?” Kai frowned. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay, it doesn’t really matter.” Nya waved it off. “Anyway, what’s going on?”

  “Right, yeah. Uh, I noticed you left this letter on the countertop outside, thought it fell off from your bag.” He handed the letter from the night before over to his sister.

  “It did actually. I dropped it outside and Dareth was kind enough to give it back. I left it on the counter because it was really late and I was on the edge of passing out.” She explained. “Also, there’s a package for you, it’s in my bag.”

  Kai’s face lighted up immediately and hurried over to Nya’s bag that was resting by the corner. He fumbled in it for a few seconds before finding a yellow package, which he ecstatically ripped open. “Aw yeah, a small bag of chocolate. Nice!”

  Meanwhile Nya opened the letter again and poured out its contents onto her bed. This time there was seven polaroids instead of the formal five. “Kai, come look at this. It’s more pictures of the ocean again.”

  Kai poked out from his package and stared at the pictures, pondering. “Hmm, maybe this anonymous fan really likes the ocean and wants you to have these? I mean good for them I guess.”

  “Well, I really want to meet this person to thank them personally. I mean polaroids aren’t cheap, right?” Kai nodded. “So, I think it’s only fair if I meet this fan in person to show my gratitude.”

  “Well, whatever is your decision, I’ll support it.” Kai gave a thumb up and then retrieved his phone from his pocket to snap a picture of the gift he received. “And this is my way of supporting my fans by capturing this to my Instagram story.”

  Normally, Nya wouldn’t care about his brother’s egotistical actions, but this time it gave her a miraculous idea.

 

* * *

 

  Somewhere around downtown, Lavender found herself working on a lazy Sunday. The sky was casually shifting into a shade of purple and orange gradient as it was nearing dusk soon. Inside the café, there were a few customers left, which usually were college students rushing to finish up their assignments, and some casuals who have stayed throughout the day.

  With no one needing of her service, she shiftily took out her phone and visited her various social media accounts. She scrolled mindlessly when suddenly on Instagram, she saw a post made by Nya’s personal account regarding a set of very familiar photos. Lavender couldn’t pinpoint what made it so significant at first, until she remembered the set of photos were taken by Jay himself.

  Right before Jay sent the second batch of photos, he consulted her whether it was wise to send more to Nya. He showed the barista the seven pictures and asked for her opinion, and since Lavender was a professional persuader, she managed to convince him to just do it. And as a thank-you-gift, Jay gave her an extra polaroid he took that he didn’t like enough to insert it into the set.

   _‘I am seeking the anonymous fan that had sent me these photos, as I would like to thank them in person for them. If you know this person or are this person, please message me.’_

 So Lavender at once messaged Nya’s account with an image of a photo Jay gave as a source of proof. And within minutes, she got a reply.

_'Hey! I think your source is credible enough. I take it you know this person?’_

_'Yeah, I know him well enough. He was the guy who technically asked me for my opinion in sending you those pictures.’_

_‘Oh okay. Could you give me his number or address, or anything that can help me get in contact with him?’_

_'Actually, I can give you this location where he occasionally comes. I’ll make sure he arrives if you do, but only if you want.’_

_‘Sure.’_

_'Meet me at Soul Brews around 6pm tomorrow, I’ll get the guy.’_

 

* * *

 

_‘Hey Jay, do you think you could come by to the café tomorrow at 6? I got a new recipe I want you to test out.’_

_'I’m busy tomorrow, sorry.’_

_‘It’s free coffee.’_

_'I will be there as soon as possible.’_

 

* * *

 

  The bell above the door-frame jingled merrily as the photographer stepped into the café, but Jay wasn’t quite so. He was in fact busy, but he couldn’t pass up the offer and he did owe Lavender a favour.

  When he scanned the room, everything seemed normal to him. There was nothing out of the ordinary and it was like as usual - quiet and mundane. Well, until his eyes landed on Nya anyway and his heart literally skipped a beat. His pulse was rising dramatically and he frantically ran over to the counter, repeatedly tapped the counter to beckon for Lavender.

  “Alright, alright. I’m coming, sheesh.” She groaned.

  “Lav, what the hell! What is she doing here?” Jay asked urgently.

  “What? A performer can’t have a cup of coffee as well?”

  “Well, she can yes, but you know that’s not my point! I come here almost every day and she never enters this building.”

  “Maybe she had a sudden urge to get a beverage.” Lavender raised an eyebrow at him. She knew Jay was going to be surprised at one point, but she did not expect a total meltdown. “You know what? Go into the kitchen, we’ll talk further there.”

  He followed suit.

 

* * *

 

  Jay had only entered the kitchen once, and it was in secret. He once planned to seach the entire area to find a recipe book of some sorts, as a new beverage came out a few months back and he wanted to try to make one by himself. Lavender of course couldn’t allow share him the recipe, so when she caught him red-handed in the kitchen, she refused to serve him for a week even after dozens of pleading.

  “So, care to explain?” Jay said.

  “Why, yes actually. You see, Nya wanted to find the person who was responsible for the pictures you sent. Thus I have messaged her with proof that I know you personally and told her to meet up at this café with you.” Lavender replied.

  The sound made by Jay was indescribable. He managed to combine both of squealing in terror while also sounding like a deflated balloon. “Why, would you ever do that. You know I remained anonymous for a reason! I’m bad at talking to new people!”

  “Hey, I’m doing you a favour alright? You always said you wanted to talk to her in person.” She groaned.

  “This is bad, this is terribly bad. Abort mission, definitely abort.” Jay panicked. “Do you have a back door?”

  “No, and if I do I’m not letting you out anyway. Now go!” and so Lavender pushed him outside of the kitchen and shut the door behind her, giving Jay zero chances of escaping.

  He gulped. Jay was certainly not prepared for this, but Nya had made eye contact with him and he knew then there was no turning back. He took a deep breath and sat at the seat opposite of her.

  Jay noticed Nya looked remarkably beautiful, even though she was just in her casual wear. There was something about her overall appearance that was terribly endearing and yet familiar at the same time. It was as if fate had chosen for both of them to meet, like puzzle pieces slowly falling into place to complete the final picture.

  Eventually, Jay mustered enough courage and spoke. “Uh, hey. I’m Jay.”

  “Hi! So, you’re the anonymous guy who sent those pictures, huh?” Nya asked.

  “Yes, I am. It’s totally fine to send people photographs right? It’s not technically weird yes?” he sheepishly forced a smile. “Oh wait, oh god. No, ignore the last question. That was really bad, I’m sorry.” Jay had never felt such a strong desire to be at home.

  “No, of course not! Although do you want to take a breath first? You seem rather strung up.”

  Jay hid his face in his palm. He felt so embarrassed and he loathed it. Why can’t he talk to strangers in a calm manner?  “No, I’m okay. I’m just a bit stressed from work, that’s all.”

  And so they chatted continuously and endlessly, and sometimes they even laughed in cheer. Soon enough, Jay was starting to loosen up and he felt more comfortable talking to her. Nya assumed that Jay must be a professional who has clients flooding in for his work as his work was insanely good; while Jay thought Nya had been in the theatre industry for years due to her being insanely talented. But surprisingly to the both of them, Jay revealed he only graduated recently and Nya confessed she and her brother were only working since a few years back.

  “Wait, you’re telling me, a professional like you, is a freshly graduated student? Who has trouble finding freelance work?” Nya was aghast. She couldn’t believe such talent went unnoticed.

  Jay shrugged in response. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Oh,” Nya muttered, clearly disappointed. “also I have to leave now. There’s a show tonight and I’ve got to get back in time to prepare. It was really lovely talking to you and thank you so much once again!”

  Nya’s sudden change of tone startled Jay. “Huh? You’re leaving? Oh alright. It was really lovely to chat with you as well.”  He smiled timidly.

  Nya returned the smile with a much radiant one of her own. “Farewell!”

  Then she strolled out of the building and disappeared from sight, leaving Jay awestruck.

 

* * *

 

  After the show, Nya told her brother all about Jay, including the part that he was a recent graduate. She also went on about how she was worried at first that the whole scene was going to be a sham, as a few dozens of people apparently tried to claim being the mysterious, anonymous fan without any proof.

  “Well, you found the guy at last. You satisfied now?” Kai asked.

  “Not just yet, there’s still something left I have to do.” She said as she took out her phone and started dialing.

 

* * *

 

  On the next day, Nya was restless. She was impatiently waiting for a long-time friend to arrive, and he was late. She paced around the living room with the clock staring at her, the hands of time ticking forward with its repetitive noise.

  It wasn’t until awhile later the doorbell finally rang and Nya hopped across her room to answer it. She opened the door and there stood a much taller man in a trench coat.

  “Hey, Cole. There’s a favour I would like to ask of you.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for the long wait. Anyway chapter 2, I'm not 100% sure how I feel about this particular chapter, but enjoy!  
> And just to clarify, Jay's attraction towards Nya is aesthetic-attraction, if it wasn't obvious enough already.
> 
> Regardless, thank you for reading and stay tuned!!


	3. Times That We Knew

  Nightfall—the period of a day when twilight twinkled along with the sun to shine out the darkest of corners. Eerie silent it was in the wilderness outside, but in the city it was comfortably noisy. The blaring honks of cars and screeches of motorcycles’ tyres, it never ends. In the urban streets everyone was busy. Friends meet up with each other lesser every passing day and families’ ‘see you later’ often turned into ‘goodbye’. Although there was one link that could never be unchained, no matter distance nor time could stand in their way, and it was a boy who creates and a boy who plays.

 

* * *

 

  The heavy and creaking door shut itself tight after the critic stepped inside. “A favour? This is the third time already this year, Nya,” said Cole.

  “Please? This is super important!” Nya pleaded, eyes inherently wide.

  Nya’s persuasion was good, in fact she mastered it when she was at the age of twelve. Whether it be begging or a swift of words, Nya always got what she desired, even including her brother who wasn’t strong enough to resist her cunningness.

  Cole heaved a huge sigh and raised his white flag. “Okay, fine. What is it that you want this time?”

  “I need you to host an exhibition for me!” she exclaimed.

  “Wait, what?” That was an awfully big favour, which caught Cole on surprise.

  Now, Cole was a man with connections around the country. Back when he was young, he always had a knack for the arts. His father knew this so he offered him to try pursuing dancing, but Cole eventually discovered he was much more talented in illustration. So, he picked up a brush every day and started to splatter across every blank canvas he saw. Cole did plenty of research as well in hopes to further improve his studies on art such as gathering intel on famous artists with their astonishing work. Soon enough his artwork got better, along with his exposure expanding. Finally, when Cole graduated art school, he had gotten very well known. Clients would tackle each other for him to accept their offer. His hard work and determination had definitely came a long way.

  When Cole was doing great in his life, he wanted others who aspired the same journey to achieve the same results as him. Thus he used his fame to promote other artists. Many became successful because of him, which lead Cole thinking he could make a career out of this, just doing good for other less fortunate people. And now he had got what he always wished for—fulfilling his life and others.

  Though at that exact moment, Kai came walking into the living room. He stopped mid-step when he spotted a large-figure man beside his sister. “Holy crap,” he gasped. “Cole, is that you?”

  “Kai?” Cole squinted at him. “Kai! It is you!”

  The brother dashed into Cole’s strong arms, and the critic embraced him fully. “Oh I missed you so, so much! Gosh, it has been such a long time, how are you?”

  Cole settled him down onto the floor gently. “I’ve been great as usual, and a fun accomplishment I’ve recently achieved too!” he grinned radiantly. “Managed to set up three galleries in the span of 4 months, all presented this month, not including the one your sister is asking me to do though.”

  Kai stared at his sister in disbelief. “What? Among the things you’ve asked from Cole, this is absolutely insane. And from the likes of it, it’s a voluntary exhibition? C’mon sis-“

  “Come on you guys! This is a big break for Jay, he’s pretty great and he deserves this,” cried Nya.

  “Wait, who’s Jay? Is he my client?” Cole pondered at the mention of the mysterious name who he assumed was the person he was going to host with.

  Kai personally took it upon himself and cleared up the confusion that was hanging around. “Jay’s this photographer guy who just graduated and kept sending my sister polaroids of H2O after watching one of our shows.”

  “I stopped processing after the ‘photographer’ part.”

  “It’s better that way.”

  “So, what’s the deal?” Nya asked.

  Oh how exhausting it was to be a friend of two theatre kids.

  “Fine, I’ll do it.” Nya leaped in the air with a victory shout. “Only because I know you long enough and I trust your judgement.” Kai patted his friend’s back as an act of support, but also because Cole lost once more in resisting Nya’s pleads.

  “Anyway, I think I’ll take a walk outside to let my mind think about how I’m going to do this. Care to join in?”

  “Oh…” Nya winced. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful but I have to convince Jay to meet up with you. It’s not an easy feat and I’m sorry.”

  Thankfully, her brother stepped forward. “It’s alright. I’ll go.”

  Hence they left into the outdoors together.

 

* * *

 

  The duo strolled down the pathway in the ghastly night, presently untroubled by the low screeches and fearful hisses. They didn’t spoke for a while, because the both of them were counting on the other to start a conversation.

  Gradually, Kai broke the silence. “You know you don’t have to play an act around us. We’re your friends, Cole. And we have been your friends since middle school. So tell me, how have you _really_ been?”

  Cole furrowed his brows, knowing Kai was right. Kai knew Cole long enough to know what was wrong and most importantly, he knew what was bothering him, but Kai didn’t speak the latter. He was loyal and respectable in that way, knowing when to not cross boundaries unlike his younger self.

  Cole’s shoulders then slumped into a much relax state before he started confessing to his friend. “All things considered, I really hate you for being able to read me.”

  “And I love you too,” Kai smirked.

  “I suppose I just feel exhausted. It’s like what was once right in the world was now wrong, and nothing will ever be the same again.”

  The performer nodded slowly regarding his friend’s statement, and silence fell upon them once more. They continued walking until they happened to arrive at the neighbourhood’s park. The both of them found an empty park bench and sat on it, staring out into the deserted streets aside from a few cars passing through. The headlights all blurred into a flash of yellow light, zooming past as stars slowly faded away into the night sky. There was an unspoken sorrow among them, but they both knew it lingered on throughout all those years. Their one sour note was played a long time ago and yet the music could not be played right ever since, for the sheet was swept away by the winds of time.

 

* * *

 

  The photographer grumbled as he stomped into the café, he could not believe he was persuaded once again to come into this particular building without a brief warning beforehand. It was noon, which meant that the entire café was crowded with deafening chatter from a swarm of customers. He looked over to the counter. Lavender was absent and her co-worker took over. _‘Classic Lavender, always missing in action when I need her most.’_ Jay thought.

  Amidst the crowd, he heard someone called out his name in an earnest manner. “Hey, Jay! Over here.” Jay turned around and saw a man in a trench coat beckoning for him.

  The photographer scooched over to his table and sat on the opposite seat. “Aren’t you going to order a drink first?” asked Cole.

  “I’m fine. I don’t intend to stay long.” While in fact, Jay wanted a cup of coffee but he didn’t want it to be made by anyone else aside from Lavender.

  Cole nodded. “Well, in that case I won’t take up too much of your time.” He took out a file of documents and laid it on the table. “Alright, so my name’s Cole. I’ll presume you’ll know why you’re called here. And if you would like, I can help you gather and prepare your portfolio for the art exhibition. All you have to do is just-“

  “I’m sorry, but I would have to decline.” Jay flatly stated.

  “ _What?_ ”

  “As I said, I’d like to decline. I’m sorry mister but I could not accept such a gracious offer,” said Jay.

  Cole was appalled. No one ever refused his offer before, additionally this was all a complimentary offer for Jay. “What do you mean? Why would you turn down an offer that could alter your career for the better?”

  Jay blushed, he hadn’t thought of a good answer yet, but he knew his intuition told him he just couldn’t accept it. _It was too much._ “I don’t think my works are up to industry standards yet, and I just graduated! Maybe it’s still early to say about my career.” He faked a nervous laugh.

  “If you already made up your mind that early, then why did you bother to come?” asked Cole.

  “You think I can deny Nya’s demands? Besides, I don’t want you to waste your time coming here for nothing,” said Jay.

  Cole turned dreadfully bitter on the spot, he couldn’t believe it. “I _already_ wasted my time coming here for nothing. I’m leaving.” He picked up his documents before inserting them into his bag and stood up.

  “Here are some words of advice. Only you get to decide what is right for you, for then the universe will solely guide you. You can still email me with the information if you change your mind.”

  Cole then left the building and headed west down the street, leaving Jay alone in his seat to contemplate his actions.

  “You didn’t even give me your email address,” said Jay.

 

* * *

 

_‘Hello, is this Nya?’_

_‘Jay? Is that you? How did you get this number?’_

_‘Well an unknown number called me a few days ago and no one really knows my number so I must assumed Lavender gave mine to you and you accidentally called me before hanging up immediately.’_

_‘You know the unknown number could be from anyone, right?’_

_‘Intuition never fails, Nya.’_

_‘Sure, psychic boy. Anyway, what’s up?’_

_‘Do you have Cole’s email?’_

_‘Yeah I do. Why?’_

_‘I need it, could you give it to me?’_

_‘Didn’t he give you while you were both discussing details?’_

_‘It’s… complicated.’_

_‘Okay.’_

 

* * *

 

  The photographer soon arrived back to his flat and swiftly went to switch on his laptop. His laptop was an incredibly old model, but it didn’t stop Jay from thrashing it. He got it as his sixteenth birthday from his parents, and it was one of the extra special gifts he got since his parents were not technically wealthy. The other gift was being able to go to college. He had begged his parents for years to pursue his hobby as a career, and if his parents weren’t so kind, he would have ended up working in the junkyard for the rest of his life. It wasn’t a horrendous job though, considering he’ll get to be with his parents all the time and his tinkering skills would be put to good use, but he couldn’t fathom the thought of living in a constant state of life forever.

  He slumped onto his chair. When was the last time he had tidied up his apartment? Sure, Jay wanted some chaos in his life, but he didn’t mean it _literally_ with his room. Used clothes were stashed away into a corner while unorganized pictures spewed everywhere across the wooden floor. His work desk was awfully arranged with items practically stacking on top of each other to make space. Though, the only redeeming part about the entire atmosphere was that the room was bursting with extravagant colours.

  It was like second nature to Jay. He colour-coordinated his belongings without even realizing it. His lemon yellow bag was lying on his periwinkle bedsheet while his vermillion-coloured mug was on the top of a stack of ochre documents. Due to the palettes complimenting each other, Jay did not find any problem with his room. It was as if he was blinded by the pleasing colours wrapped around him, concealing the truth behind a false comfort. Unless you live in a greyscale world, Jay’s room definitely seemed like someone had ransacked his place.

  ‘ _Only you get to decide what is right for you, for then the universe will solely guide you._ ’ Jay reflected upon Cole’s words. Will he do it? Was he willing to sacrifice a normal life in hopes to become more well-known? And what if this opportunity might lead to his downfall? What if people started calling him a sham along with the critic’s reputation?

  The sunflowers by his window peered at the dwindling sunlight as eventide fell. Those flowers loved the daylight, they depended heavily on it to enrich themselves. But every day they had to witness the one thing they desperately need fade from existence, slowly slipping from their petals till it disappeared entirely. Although, the sunflowers patiently wait for the next sunrise, for long they knew the sun will always reappear and never ceased to vanish permanently.

  Jay walked over to his bedside window and sat beside his potted sunflowers, basking alongside in the last light of the day.

  Just then, his computer’s music player which he opened earlier, shuffled to a song he haven’t heard in a very long time.

 

 _‘You told me you were good at running away_  
_Domestic life, it never suited you like a suitcase_  
_You left with just the clothes on your back_  
_You took the rest when you took the map’_

 

  “Domestic life…” Jay muttered under his breath.

  He got up and went to his desk.

 

* * *

 

  A month had passed since the day Jay made the decision to submit his portfolio to Cole. At first, Cole replied with a very lengthy passage on how Jay should think twice before acting upon his thoughts. But Jay barely skimmed through the entire essay and dismissed it.

  Ever since that day, Jay had never heard from neither Cole nor the siblings again. He began to worry that this was all a scam, or worst, he dreamt up the entire thing. None of it was true and his imagination created it to fill in the void in his stale life. But the calls were real, and so were the emails. So, why haven’t one of them responded?

  Was this all a sadistic prank?

 _‘PING!’_ His laptop alerted abruptly with a new notification. Jay dashed into his chair and opened up his email. A new mail had appeared in his inbox with the subject, ‘The Deed is Done’. The email read:

 

 

 

> _Dear Jay,_
> 
> _You didn’t reply to my last email, so I’m suggesting you either didn’t read it or you deleted it, whether accidentally or intentional. At this point, do what you will for all I care._
> 
> _Anyway, the exhibition is up. Meet me tomorrow at the grey building down JinXiang Street during 8 in the morning. I suppose you wouldn’t want to be late for this. Prepare a speech if you like, or not at all. It’s up to you since it doesn’t really matter. Be prepared to be asked dozens of questions though._
> 
> _With regards,_
> 
> _Cole._
> 
> _PS. For your information, exhibition starts at 11:30, and no you don’t get to come later than the time I assigned._

 

 

  It was real, it was not a lie. Everything was finally falling into place, and things were starting to look up. This will be the moment that will change everything forever.

  “Wahoo!” he shot his fist into the air.

 

* * *

 

  On some days, Jay wished the world invented better alarm clocks. The clocks can be of anything, water pouring or ground shaking to wake its users up? As long it was effective, he’d take it. The normal ones that thundered throughout the entire room usually never woke him, due to Jay being a heavy sleeper. A heavy sleeper had its perks sometimes, but not being awake by anything was one of the worst cons.

  The foretold day had approached at last and Jay was evidently _late_.

  “This is bad, this is bad, this is bad!” cried Jay whilst he sprinted down the destined street to the exhibition. He was in such a mess. His hair was untidily tousled with ends sticking out the oddest of ways while his shirt was all ruffled.

  When he had reached the building, he burst inside and glared at the clock on the wall. It was seven minutes past eight. Seven minutes late, couldn’t be too bad, right?

  Cole was in the middle of doing last-minute check-ups before he heard an unexpected door banging and appeared from around the corner. “Tardiness on your own exhibition is not a good start, Mr. Walker.”

  “C’mon, Cole! It was just seven minutes. Besides there’s no one around yet,” Jay attempted to tidy up himself. “are you sure people will turn about?”

  “Actually, no. I’m never sure about these. I usually hope for the best and trust in the frequenters to visit.” Cole shrugged.

  Jay’s shoulders drooped. He felt like an icicle had stabbed him upon his back. “If all of this fails I’m never facing society again.”

  Surprisingly, Jay’s reaction stirred a hysterical laughter from the critic. “Oh gosh, you really fell for that. I cannot believe how gullible you are!”

  “What? What’s so funny?”

  “Oh, you simpleton. Exhibitions are pre-booked, and yours sold out.” Cole chuckled.

  The photographer frowned, _of course_ it was pre-booked. “That was mean.”

  “Like you rejecting a generous offer that was insisted by a kindhearted person wasn’t mean?” Cole raised an eyebrow at him.

   “Fine, you got me there.” Jay rolled his eyes. “Do you mind if I take a look around?”

  “Sure, it is your exhibition,” said Cole.

  Thus Jay proceeded to roam around the place. All his chosen pieces were framed and hung up on the walls. He looked around. It was like being inside a time capsule, for all the frozen sceneries and objects he captured were jaw-dropping realistic. The pictures gave out such an alluring charm that it left viewers entranced with its beauty. The photographs were all ranged from enchanting floras to breathtaking mountains, each with a different impression of sullen days and gentle rays.

  All of his efforts were finally paying off. This was the day people will be aware of him, an ordinary photographer who thought he was no different than the others, to shine out clearer than the rest. In a few hours, his life will start anew.

  Until someone did the exact same thing as him of banging open the doors.

  “What in the world..?” questioned Jay.

  He went back to the main entrance and saw a quite youthful figure stumbled clumsily into the building. The man was wearing a sweater vest of serenity blue with three aligned snowflakes on the middle. _‘How dorkish.’_ Jay thought.

  “Cole, where are you? This is an emergency!” cried the man.

  The critic heard the call and urgently skipped to the front before consulting him. “What’s wrong Zane? And wow, you’re sweaty.”

  “I’m supposed to bring in a replacement teacher today since you know how inexperienced I am with photography, but they called in sick an hour ago and I have no idea who to call!” said Zane. “And classes start in an hour! I’m doomed.” The teacher hid his face into his hands in misery.

  Cole comforted him. “It’s going to be alright, Zane. You’re worrying too much too. I mean it’s only just one class.”

  “I know, but I don’t want to disappoint my students. They think I’m perfect, top notch perfection, Cole! That’s a really heavy burden to bear.”

  Jay felt immense pity for this stranger. He couldn’t relate to what it felt like but seeing such raw emotions made him a tad somber too. So, he stepped forward. “Uh, Zane, right? I can volunteer to be the replacement if you like.”

  The teacher perked up and stared at Jay. He whispered into Cole’s ear, “Is this the guy you’re hosting for?” which Cole nodded.

  Zane glanced at the surrounding pictures. He went quiet for a while before he finally spoke. “Judging from your looks, you’re quite talented for your age.”

  “Aren’t you too young to be a teacher?” asked Jay.

  “I’m 26 with 5 years of teaching experience.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  “It’s alright. A lot of people assumed I’m 20 due to my face, which has proven to be quite convenient and inconvenient at the same time,” said Zane, earning a snort from Cole. “Anyway, if you’re serious about volunteering, let’s go!”

  “Wait, how long will the class be?” asked Jay.

  “One and a half hours, if that’s fine by you.”

  “Oh, great. I would still have time to arrive back here for my show.”

  But Cole interrupted them, “Ahem, Mr. Simpleton. Are you really sure about this?”

  Which Jay retorted, “Well, you offered to help me so I’m passing on the favour.”

  Meanwhile, Zane was inherently getting impatient by the moment. “I don’t have time for this. Come on!” So he forcefully grabbed the photographer’s wrist and dragged him out of the building.

  “I’ll be back before 11!” cried Jay.

 

* * *

 

  The photographer’s day had an uncanny pattern. It started off good (waking up on the special day) then became awful (being late on said special day), and it became swell again (exhibition preparation was brilliant), which meant now it was about to turn sour.

  And sour it did turn. Jay was trapped with Zane inside his car in the middle of the road. It was almost nine in the morning which was peak hour for citizens to head out to work. Jay groaned in frustration. Out of all the days to be stuck in a traffic jam, this day was the worst.

  “Well, this was unexpected,” muttered Zane.

  Jay side-eyed him, he was starting to regret volunteering now. _‘If Lavender was here to witness this, she’d never let this go.’_ Jay thought. Even knowing his friend would make fun of him till the end of time if she knew, he would do anything for her to be here to offer him some much needed advice.

  Out of boredom, Jay fiddled with the car radio till it landed on a popular channel that broadcasted trending pop songs. The previous song had just ended and the radio host spoke up. _‘_ And now, the newest hit song—Legacy by Lloyd Garmadon!’

 

 _‘How is this my legacy_  
_When I just keep fighting this_  
_For a cause that I’m unsure_  
_From the chaos that I fear’_

 

  “Oh, this is my favourite song,” said Jay.

  Zane turned at him and gasped. “Really? Me too! I love Lloyd. He’s one of the few who can actually sing and all. Plus his songs aren’t really those modern days’ cliché love songs.”

  “Cheers to that!” Jay laughed.

  Eventually the both of them rambled on about the pop artist, Lloyd. They compared songs and quizzed each other trivia about said artist. Jay had never connected with someone so fondly before regarding his music taste, and Zane haven’t had such a hearty laugh with someone in ages. Soon enough they had all forgotten about the jam they were stuck in the middle of.

 

* * *

 

  The school bell rang, signaling that break was over. Students shuffled across the hall to get to their assigned classes while teachers poured out from the office and followed suit. High school—the place for housing horrific attitudes but sometimes holds fond memories as well.  Jay never liked his own experience of high school, for many peculiar reasons. Initially, Jay thought Zane was teaching a class of elementary school’s students, assuming from his dress wear, but he soon found out Zane taught a lot of classes, ranging from middle schoolers to high schoolers and rarely children.

  “In here, this is the class.” Zane gestured at a room filled with a whole bunch of tenth graders. “Okay, so just introduce them to the basics of photography and show them how to use one of those fancy cameras. Got it?”

  Jay never got the chance to respond when he was pushed inside the classroom and had the door shut behind him. All of the students stared at him in bewilderment, even a few started to whisper among themselves. The photographer started fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. He was terribly unused to a crowd staring at him.

  He took a deep breath.

  “Good morning, everyone. My name’s Jay and I’ll be your replacement teacher for today.” He wore on a weak smile. “Now, who here likes photography?”

 

* * *

 

  There was one thing that Jay knew now, which was he was perfectly fine with teaching. He originally expected the entire thing to go off-rails but in the end he managed to enlighten a few minds.

  “Well, that wasn’t so bad, right?” asked Zane.

  “Yeah, it was actually… okay,” said Jay.

  They were back in the car and along the road again, for Zane owed Jay a ride back to the exhibition. Jay was relieved since there was still time to spare. It was only a half an hour past ten and the morning rush hour was over.

  He stared up at the trees that were swaying gingerly along the breeze, gently caressing its tips as the leaves danced. He lifted his head out of the window to get a better view of the moving scenery and felt the wind graced his skin while his hair flew behind. It reminded him of the ocean pier by his apartment, the place where he made the decision to mail the pictures and started all of this.

  In the middle of his daydream, an explosion erupted right before his waking eyes on the opposite street.

  Jay had never felt so unperturbed in his entire life. He had a several mid-life crisis before which he panicked, but he had never reached this certain level of severe events occurring that he could not even bother to care about. All he did was whimpered in defeat and said, “Why?”

  Apparently, one of the flats a few blocks down had an unforeseen gas explosion. Fortunately, no one was injured and the owner of the flat was out. Authorities who were nearby went to observe the scene and they concluded the owner had forgotten to turn off the kettle before leaving. But it was quite a spectacle enough that it earned a few dozen screams and vehicles to halt abruptly.

  He looked across at Zane. The man had been shaken to its core by the eruption that he froze for a few good seconds before skidding to a stop. “What in the world was THAT?”

  “An ordinary day of my life,” said Jay with an unreadable face. “I think this is the climax of today’s story.”

  And just as Jay suspected, the road was immediately blocked by police officers to refrain anymore harm from happening and to clean up the debris. So, they were stuck in the middle of the crossfire with no way out.

  “I suppose we’ll have to wait it out,” said Zane.

  “Are you kidding me? No, I can’t wait! We’ll be late if we wait,” Jay was clearly exasperated.

  “Then what do you suggest that we do?”

  “This.” Jay unlocked the rear door and hopped out the vehicle before bursting into a full on sprint heading west.

  Zane was flabbergasted, and before he knew it he unlocked the door as well and stepped outside. “Wait!”

  He followed Jay.

 

* * *

 

  His feet pounded on the concrete floor beneath him. Sweat has started to form around his neck, causing his shirt and hair to stick sloppily onto his skin. His breaths were getting shorter by the minute with every step he took. He glanced back, Zane was still on his trail.

  Jay glanced at his watch. It read eleven in the morning. There was still time.

  He slowed his pace and looked around for directions. He presumed he was in the middle of the city now, and it was particularly foreign to him. None of the signs were able to assist him in his destination. He started to panic.

  “Zane? Zane! How do we go back?”

  “You-fool!” Zane huffed as he caught up and stood beside him. “I was about to tell you that you took the long path. If you’d chose north earlier we would have been there by now.”

  “I haven’t been here before! I’m terrible at directions.”

  “Did no one ever told you to think before you act?” groaned Zane. “Come on, follow me.”

 

* * *

 

  Jay rushed into the door and slammed it open. He saw numerous people were packing up and had begun to leave. Someone even bumped onto Jay’s shoulder on their way out while discussing with their co-worker regarding the exhibition, not knowing he was the person responsible for all the works.

  It was over.

  The emotions Jay felt was as though the sky had darkened itself into a twisted shade of bleak grey while its cloud companions were pouring out their sorrow. The colours in his life were completely absorbed out of him, leaving him in an emptiness of gloom. He couldn’t reconnect with the world. He felt lost as he spiraled down into the endless abyss of false hope.

  This was the only thing he’d ever looked forward to in years. It was a salvation in his boring and depressing life. Jay never expected anything much in his life, all he wanted was to feel content. Was it so much to ask for?

  Tears started swelling into his eyes but he looked away. He tried to wipe it away with the sleeves of his jacket without caring he ruined it. He couldn't differentiate what he was feeling anymore, whether it'd be upset or hollow.

  He bored into his surroundings. He noticed Kai and Nya were in the same room too. _‘How pathetic of me,’_ he thought. Jay was trying to refocus now. He saw how Zane and Cole had worried expressions on their faces, both of each hand on his shoulders, shaking him in concern. Pitiful Nya was in regards to Jay, she had not foreseen this at all. In the end, Jay bowed his head and detached himself from Zane and Cole’s grasps then left the room. Nya wished to call out for him but she stopped herself. The remaining four watched in despair as the photographer departed from them without a second word.

  The four of them turned to each other.

  “We’ve got to make it up to him.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first set of lyrics was from the song, Dead Sea by The Lumineers. the second set (lloyd's song) was originally written by me as a fan composition, but i drafted it.


End file.
